Visual Designer Oakland, CA 2018 - ongoing
Team Lonny Brooks, Ahmed Best, Eli Kosminsky, Fathomers, Equitable Games Group
Afro-Rithms From The Future is a card game and world-building experience that empowers people to create and share Afrofuturist narratives.
The project organically started out two years ago as a community project at Dynamicland, where I worked as a designer and engineer. Dr. Lonny Brooks, Ahmed Best and Eli Kosminsky are the core team of the project, with L.A.-based arts organization Fathomers and many other collaborators as contributors.
I've been a long-time contributor to the project, from facilitating the design of the game at Dynamicland, playtesting the game in multiple contexts, to now contributing to the graphic design of a version of the game that can exist in people's homes and community spaces.
Most recently, I've been contributing to the graphic design of the cards for their initial print production. The centerpiece artwork is created by Alan Clark; my role was to develop a unifying look and feel to the cards in addition to the basics of legibility and usability.
From left to right: Researching existing card games (Dinosaur Island) and Afrofuturist imagery (James Eugene). Sketching and ideating from inspirations.
Designing multiple iterations to get feedback on varying styles, with game mechanics and usability in mind. Card artwork by Alan Clark. Tools: Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop
In taking on this project as a graphic and interactive designer, I also believe in my responsibility to wield my privilege to provide opportunities for designers in the Black community. As a part of my contribution, I am developing a mentorship program for youth designers of color and to encourage their expression as primary contributors to the future designs.
The game is a work in progress and its beta edition is about to launch very soon in fall 2020!